Video: Jets coach trips Dolphins player during game

We know that the New York Jets are a team that likes to be loud and proud about their exploits. They're a team with a lot of swagger even when things are not going well, which they haven't been of late. Less than a week after losing 45-3 to the New England Patriots on "Monday Night Football," Rex Ryan's bunch lost 10-6 to the Miami Dolphins, and did so in a much more embarrassing fashion.

What, you say? How can a four-point deficit be worse than a 42-point beatdown? Because at least in the Patriots game, nobody on the Jets' sideline did anything rotten like this:

This play happened with 2:58 left in the third quarter, when the Dolphins punted to Jets receiver Santonio Holmes(notes). As Holmes took the ball for a short return, cornerback Nolan Carroll(notes) was hurt on the right sideline as he rushed down to cover the play. The replay showed strength and conditioning coach Sal Alosi extending his knee just enough to trip Carroll up on the play. Carroll was down for a minute, but returned to play later in the game.

"They do what they do," Crowder said. "They cheat and they talk junk and do all that stuff, but we beat the hell out of them today, so they can trip all the people they want to. I'll tell 'em to trip me -- I would have broken that old man's leg."

"I made a mistake that showed a total lapse in judgment. My conduct was inexcusable and unsportsmanlike and does not reflect what this organization stands for. I spoke to [Miami] Coach [Tony] Sparano and Nolan Carroll to apologize before they took off. I have also apologized to [Jets owner] Woody [Johnson], [Jets general manager] Mike [Tannebaum] and Rex [Ryan]. I accept responsibility for my actions as well as any punishment that follows."

The league is likely to come down hard on Alosi, if for no other reason than to prevent others from getting a goofball notion and doing the same thing. We suspect that even if Alosi doesn't lose his job, he's probably going to be very light in the wallet and he may be spending some time away from the team facility.

Update: Alosi spoke in front of the New York media on Monday and reitirated his apology. "I wasn't thinking," he responded when asked why he tripped Carroll. "If I could go back and do it again, I'd sure as heck take a step back."